1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of cigarette lighters in general and in particular to that portion of the field of cigarette lighters which relates to cigarette lighter and case combinations.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Cigarette lighter and case combinations of the general type described herein are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,819,427 shows a container in which the cigarettes are stored with a top which is attached to the container by a hinge. The top contains a liquid fuel lighter mechanism and a liquid fuel container. This type of lighter and case combination is expensive to fabricate and requires both hands to operate the combination. Furthermore, the combination is not adjustable to the various cigarette configurations widely available today nor is it disposable. Lastly, because it is of the liquid fuel type, it emits fuel fumes which may be absorbed by the cigarettes and therefore spoil the taste of the cigarettes.
A more advanced design is described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,903,729. A liquid fuel lighter mechanism with a liquid fuel container are slidably engaged to the end wall of a cigarette pack. While this design permits one handed operation of the combination, it is not adjustable to fit the various cigarette configurations widely available today, it is not disposable, and it emits fuel fumes which may be absorbed by the cigarettes and, therefore, may spoil the taste of the cigarettes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,043,888 describes another advance in the art wherein, a package of cigarettes and a liquid fuel lighter mechanism and fuel chamber are combined into one structure. This structure has a body portion and a telescoping top which fits over the package of cigarettes encased within the body portion. The liquid fuel lighter mechanism is secured to the bottom of the body portion of the structure. This configuration requires both hands to operate, it is not disposable, and emits fuel fumes which may spoil the taste of the cigarettes.
A further advance in the prior art is represented in U.S. Pat. No. 2,782,910. Here a liquid fuel lighter mechanism and liquid fuel chamber are mounted on a cover which is hinged to a rigid frame which is mounted on a cigarette pack. The frame is releasably locked to the cigarette pack and includes a lock mechanism for securing the hinged cover to the frame. This configuration is not readily adjustable to the various cigarette configurations of cigarettes widely available today, it is expensive to fabricate, and is not disposable. Furthermore, it emits fuel fumes which may spoil the taste of the cigarettes.
A more recent advance in the art is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,704 which relates to a combined liquid fuel lighter mechanism and fuel chamber slidably mounted to the top of a "soft pack" cigarette pack to form a closure for covering the top of the cigarette pack. While this invention permits one hand operation and fits all sizes of cigarettes, this design is not disposable and it emits fuel fumes which may spoil the taste of the cigarettes.
Representative of a more advanced design is U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,194 wherein a disposable lighter mechanism is adapted to the usual type of cigarette pack as a standard part of the pack which, when the cigarette pack is empty, is discarded. Such a combination is not reusable and reduces the number of cigarettes per pack.
None of the aforementioned designs teach a combination cigarette container and lighter which is either reusable or disposable, permits one hand operation, is inexpensive to manufacture, is adaptable to the various cigarette configurations widely available today, and which does not affect the taste of the cigarettes since no fuel fumes are emitted.